Photography by: J. Heiliger Photography
A Free-Wheeling Experience with the H.A.R. Chairman of the Board
By Woodie Stephenson
The Houston Association of Realtor’s 2007 Chairman of the Board, Robert D. Cook, is a man of experience. The Houston real-estate leader has served as Broker for his own property company and risen through the ranks to the highest volunteer position in the Houston Association of Realtors®. A man of insight and experience, Rob has always been one to emphasize the importance of the experience, taking in the details and enjoying each opportunity life gives you. Whether he is driving through the countryside feeling the wind cut against his face as the leaves rustle underneath the wheels of his motorcycle or attending important meetings to benefit Houston’s Realtors and consumers, Rob takes in the experiences life provides him.
Rob, the son of a career Navy father, was born in Monroe, Louisiana but moved with his family to Hayward, California in the East Bay Area where he experienced his first childhood memories. Rob remembers his childhood being an exciting time full of moves across California and Guam.
“I’ve moved no less than 50 times in my life,” Rob recalls, who is more than happy to have called Houston home for over 25 years.
After his father’s retirement from the Navy, the Cook family returned to their Louisiana hometown where Rob finished his final year of high school and enrolled in North-East Louisiana University. Upon his completion of college, Rob was awarded a degree in Art Advertising and promptly went to work for a major retailer in their management program. After moves to San Angelo, and Austin, Rob landed in Houston where he was influenced by a close friend’s father to pursue a real estate license.
Rob began his new career working in leasing management for a small shopping-center developer. He was soon coaxed over to Johnson Randolph Mortgage where he set up a small, commercial-management company setting up loans and utilizing his experience in leasing and management. Finding himself very interested in home building, Rob entered into a partnership with Belcourt Homes only to buy out his partner and find success developing the still desolate areas of Sweetwater, Hall Lake, and Richmond until the 80s recession hit the market hard.
“As we used to say back then,” Rob recalls, “I didn’t quit the business, the business quit me as it did a lot of people.”
Adapting to the changing market, Rob began listing properties for the FDIC in the residential-foreclosure business selling individual homes as well as entire subdivisions and tracts of land. Once the market began to correct itself in the late 80s, Rob felt he had the necessary experience to make the formal transition from working in commercial to residential real estate.
After a two-year stint as at Beth Wolff & Associates Rob took his most ambitious challenge at the time, starting his own independent real estate firm, the still thriving Robert Cook Properties. It was around this time that Rob became directly involved with the formation of Houston’s HIREBA (Houston Independent Real Estate Broker Association.) HIREBA offered a forum and voice for Houston’s many independent firms to look after their best interests and serve the community. Serving as President for many years, Rob focused on bolstering his background and education with a number of designations including his CRS, ABR, GRI, and CSP.
“I felt that attaining designations would not only give me credibility,” Rob says, “but a great background and education, which is necessary to truly be a leader in any field.”
Rob soon became interested and involved as a volunteer in the Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) as they were restructuring their governance. Polarized around issues that were recreating HAR’s policies in favor of firms of all sizes, Rob liked what he saw and became involved in virtually every facet of HAR serving on several committees and advisory groups. His passion and involvement in HAR landed Rob important roles that eventually led to his election as Chairman of the Board for 2007, a great achievement. Rob also serves as Regional Vice-President for TAR and a Director for NAR. Rob believes that HAR’s willingness to adapt to technology and the real estate market’s evolution has allowed the association to become an indispensable resource to today’s market.
“There are 26,000 Realtors® in the Houston area,” Rob shares, “We offer our members amazing resources and HAR has become a vital and integral part of the day-to-day operations of their businesses.” We have departments for Accounting, Association Events, Communication, Education, Governmental and Political Affairs, Graphics, Member Services, MLS and Web Development all with amazing staff.
HAR’s website, the association’s most developed resource, went online in 1997 with the aid of pioneers like George Stephens, Bill Jones, Robin Mueck and Bob Hale. Since then, the site has generated over one-billion hits and over 920,000 unique users during March of this year, which is the 10th anniversary of the public website. Ranked among the top 25 in the nation, and by far the most trafficked site in Houston, HAR.com features home listings in 7 different languages and offers today’s agent and consumer an unparalleled tool.
“The website is by far our association’s crown jewel,” Rob says, “It is so powerful it has become a public utility—there are no advertisements and to use our site consumers and Realtors don’t even need to register or enter their email information.”
HAR, which many agents consider the backbone of Houston’s real estate community, is much more than just a website. The association’s offices on the Southwest Freeway, Montgomery County, Ft. Bend County and Bay Area host an incredible staff that works hard to serve Realtors as well as the public. The association’s huge network of support staff and volunteers protect agents, serve as a liaison to the public, affect public policy, teach classes, and maintain the immense technology systems hosted at the office.
Rob’s associates at HAR could not be more proud of the accomplishments he has managed during his tenure as chairman. Bob Hale, President and CEO of HAR, believes Rob has accomplished feats that will improve the association for years to come.
“Rob began his year with a focus on enhancing the Realtor experience for both our 26,000 members and their clients,” says Hale, “Rob has been tremendously influential in making members of HAR better feel they are truly part of a valuable community. He has also been extremely accessible, as he regularly attends and speaks at area networking meetings, writes his chairman’s column for Houston Realtor magazine, and instituted a new, first-time feature Ask Rob, which answers member questions. As an independent broker, he prides himself on being representative of all; small, medium and large. HAR will be much better off for years to come as a result of his thoughtful leadership."
When Rob’s not busy serving as Chairman of the Board or managing his own real estate firm, the thrill-seeking daredevil enjoys skydiving and riding his five motorcycles. The Harley-enthusiast recently completed a 9-state-ride in the New England area with Marketlink-associate Jim Ross. The pair ended up in Washington D.C. for the past year’s legislative session.
“I’ve had motorcycles since I was 16-years-old—15 of them—” Rob says, “so I’m not middle-age crazy, I’ve always been crazy. I’m partial to Harleys but anything with a motor and two wheels works for me.”
The Houston Association of Realtors invests their time educating today’s consumer and Realtor. If HAR wants to send one message to the public, it is that consumers should use a Realtor. The association’s advertising and public service stress the importance of using a professional who has pledged to adhere to the Realtor’s strict code of ethics. The message Rob most wants to get across to the real estate community is one of openness and participation.
“We have always been about inclusion,” Rob says of his organization, “Many people become disenfranchised with associations, but here, at HAR, we encourage, invite, and cajole new agents to take a look at our association in order to get a greater understanding of what it is we do.”
Rob’s main goal during his tenure of volunteering with HAR has been to increase the transparency of the association by breaking down the barriers that keep people from becoming involved. HAR meeting are now open to any member who wishes to attend.
“There is nothing that goes on in the executive committee or directorship that isn’t open,” Rob says, “We want everyone to feel like they are a partner in the organization and that they are a part of the overall experience.”
Chairman – Elect Michael Levitin is impressed with Rob’s ability to bring the various Houston real-estate communities together through the HAR forum.
“Rob has a background from a small brokerage,” Levitin says, “and he has made sure that everyone feels welcome being involved in HAR. He has invited Galvestonians, and the Hispanic, African-American, and Asian real-estate communities to become more involved. His message has been one of inclusion, transparency, and encouraging diversity. As the future Chairman of the Board, I plan on following his example.”
HAR, which has always been on the leading edge of trends, has taken notice of important issues during Rob’s period of influence. Rob, who says he doesn’t want to ignore changing trends in the industry, has worked with HAR staff and members to design a Realtor rating system to soon become a facet of the association’s website. Although Rob has been able to accomplish much during his term, he commends the fine leadership at HAR for setting up the groundwork.
“Bob Hale, our CEO, was ranked recently among the Top-25 most influential people nationally in real estate,” Rob says, “Our association has taken the direction it has because of his vision and under his leadership we will continue to grow and prosper.”
Although Rob’s stint as chairman will expire at year’s end, he plans to continue his involvement in the association’s boards and committees; however, Rob hasn’t forgotten that he has his own buyers and sellers to get back to at his property company. Most of all, for the humble chairman, life is all about the experience.
“The further I go up the ranks the humbler I get because each time I get a step higher, I stop and ask myself, ‘Wow, how did I get here?’” Rob jokes, “Recently, I came up with a slogan on experience to fit the theme of one of my speeches. It goes: ‘Ride the experience, and experience the ride.’ I tried to sell the slogan to Harley Motorcycles, but they didn’t want it. I don’t know what they were thinking.”
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